Compressing mechanism for rotary internal-combustion motors



L. D. EPIERSON.

COMPRESSING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I6, I920.

1,404,354, Patented Jan. 24, 1922,

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

when:

L. D. EPPERSOI V.

COMPRESSING MECHANISM FOR ROTARYIN TERNAL COMBUSTION MOTORS. APPLICATION FILED Aumrs. 1920.

11,404,354. Patented Jana 1,1922.

3 $HEETSSHEET 2.

L. D. EPPERSON.

COMFRE5SING MECHANISM FOR ROTARY INTERNAL COMBUSTION MOTORS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1'6, 1920.

1,404,354. Patented Jan. 24, 1922,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

a 7 I R a A l i gm/mm z/il/ws: /8 20 2/ A $1 flggagrsow.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LANDY D. EPPERSON, on MOUNT WASHINGTON, MISSOURI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

Application filed August 16, 1920. Serial No. 404,028.

, specification.

This invention relates to compressing mechanism for rotary internal combustion motors, and my object is to produce simple and eflicient mechanism of the character indicated in which a plurality of compression pistons successively compress combustible mixture for different firing chambers where it is exploded for applying force to ,a shaft a plurality of times in a single revolutionthereof and thereby insure high speed and smooth operation of the engine;

A further object is to produce means which shall operate economically and insure charges of combustible mixture almost pure, by effecting a substantially thorough evacuation of the burned gases. A still further object'is to produce mechanism of few parts and of compact and relatively inexpensive construction, and an engine, which if muffled at the exhaust points, will be practically noiseless in operation. With these objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and useful features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood,

- reference is to be had to'the accompanying drawings, in which I I Figure 1 1s a horizontal Section taken on V the line II of Figure 2, with certain parts Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the oscillating valves of the invention. 7

In the said drawings, 1 isa cylinder'divided by a cen'tral partition into chambers 2' and 3resp'ectively occupied by pistons 4 and 5,'connected together by a tie-bolt'6 ext nding sliding y thro gh h sai partition with a leak-proof relation. Pivoted at 7 to the piston 5, is a connecting rod 8, pivotally connected at its opposite end to the crank of a crank-shaft 9, journaled in a pair of bearings .10 secured to the said cylinder, and in a supplemental bearing 11, supported in a manner hereinafter referred to.

12 and 13 are circular casings or cylinders disposed at opposite sides of the cylinder 1, and extending axially through said cylinders and suitably journaled therein, is a shaft 14, equipped at one end with a gear-wheel 15, meshing with a gear-wheel 16 on the adjac ent end of the crank shaft 9. For convenience, the bearing 11 is secured to the casing 12.

The casings 12 and 13 are provided with circular channels 17, and within said casings are discs 18 mounted on shaft 14 and rotatable therewith, the discs being provided with arcuate pistons 19, fitting snugly in and partitioning said channels.

Between said casings 12 and 13 is a connecting portion 20 provided with firing chambers 21 respectively communicating with said casings so that at the proper time, power produced through explosion of the combustible mixture, may be provided to impel or drive the said pistons of said disks, as hereinafter particularly explained.

Each of said casings 12 and 13 is provided with an exhaust port 22 for the escape of burned or dead gases from the channel 17; said exhaust port bearing such relation to the intake ports of said casings and the length of the pistons 19, that when the former .are beginning to be bridged by said pistons, the latter havepartly unbridged or uncovered the said exhaust ports. In this connection, it is tobe understood that the pistons of said cylinders are disposed at diametrically opposite points with respect to the axis of shaft 14, so that there shall bean explosion, for applying force to each piston in each revolution of the shaft 14, as will hereinafter appear.

Associated with cylinders 12 and 13 respectively are similar casings or cylinders 23 and 24 having annular channels 25 intersectin'g channels 17 of the casings 12 and 13, as shown clearly in Figure 2. The casings 23 and 24 are, like casings 12 and 13, provided with disks 26 and with rims orabutments 27, provided with notches 28. The rims 27 are intended to seal or partition the channels 25 and the notches or spa es in aid rims am ur ing at its lower side divided by a partition modate the said pistons, the arrangement being such that as a piston passes out of the notch of the rimror abutment 27 associated with it, anduncovers the intake port an explosion occurs and expends its force against the walls of channel 17, the periphery of the shaft 29, and power is transmitted to said shaft by a gear wheel 30 on shaft 14 meshing with a similar gear wheel 31 on shaft 29.

At opposite sides of the central partition of cylinder 1, are intake ports 33 and 34 respectively for cylinders 3 and-2, and mount ed upon the cylinder over said ports 33 and 34 is a valve cas1ng35, provided wlth a segmental chamber 36, and with a pair of ports 37 and 38 communicating respectively with ports 33 and 34. A tubular connection 39, preferably elbow shaped, communicates with and closes chamber 36, and is adapted for connection with a carbureter not shown. A cross shaft 40 is j ournaled in bearings formed by casing 35 and connection 39 and is equipped within chamber 36 with a valve 41, provided with a centralport for alternate engagement or communication 'with ports 37 and 38. At one end, shaft 40 is provided with a depending crank arm 43 connected by a rod 44 with an eccentric 45 mounted on shaft 9, so that the operation of said shaft shall, through said connection, effect the operation of valve 41 and. the alternate supply of combustible mixture to chambers 2 and 3.

The cylinder 1 is provided with an open- 46 into discharge ports 47 and 48, the cylinder being formed with depending flanges which cooperate with partition, 46 in, producing said discharge openings or ports 47 and48, which ports it will be noticed by reference to Figures 1 and 3, respectively com- I municate with chambers 3 and 2 of the cylindera A partitionedcasing 49 underlies the com- -pressioncylinder 1 and cooperates with the V dependingrflanges thereof above mentioned and partition46 in providing a pair of segmental valve chambers 50 and51 containing oscillatory valves 52 and 53 respectively, saitlvalves being mounted on a transverse shaft; 54f 10111I12tl6d 1n the said cylinder .7 flanges and partition 46, and in said casing 49, packing boxes 55 .gas'around the shaft.

preventing leakage of Secured on andvprojecting upward from 1 ,one'end of shaft 54 is a crank arm 56'pivot- V ally connected by a rod 57 with an eccentric 53 on shaft 9. Each firing chamber is prov ded with a spark plug 59,

I cla1m:- 7

time, the piston 19 of cylinder 13, has closed the intake port of said cylinder and remains closed until the ,compressionstroke ofpiston 4 is completed, and as this stroke ends, piston 19 begins to open the said intake port.

hen said port is about half'opened, a spark is produced toexplode the charge and thus drive'shaft 14. VVhen said shafthas completed about'a half revolution, the piston 5 has completed its ensuing compression stroke and piston 4"has completed itsensuing suction stroke, andis prepared to compress the charge from chamber 2 into the firing chamber of cylinder 12, 'thelintake port of which is closed at the time, by the piston 19 of said cylinder, and as saidpiston opens said port, ignition occurs to produce an explosion in cylinder 12 and apply force a second time to shaft 14 in one revolution thereof. All future operations are repetitionsof those clescribed, it being noted that the valves oscillate together in the same direction and that the ports between thec'oin'pression cylinders and the firing chambers are so; direct and 3 short that'a substantially. complete scavenging operation'of dead gasesis eflected. It

will also be notedthatthere is no 'wasteof gas as leakage from onecompression cylinder around the rod 6, 1S retained by-thecompanion cylinder. '7

Fromrthe above description, it. will be apparentthat I have produced a compressing mechanism for rotary internal: combustion engines embodyingthe features of advan- 'tage set forth as desirable in the statement of the object of the invention, and while I,

have illustrated, and, described the preferred embodiment of the invention, itisto be understoodthat changes. in the form, proportion, detail construction and arrangement of the parts, may-(be resort-edtowithout de--j parting from the principle of construction nvolved or sacrificing, any of the advantages of the appended claims. v

. ,1. A compressing mechanism for internal combustion motors, comprising a partitioned cylinder, a pair of connected operatingpistons one in each chamber of the cylinder, a valve casing for the supply of gaseous mix ture, in communication with both chambers of the cylinder, and a. valve, operated back and forth in timed relation with the pistons to close communication between the valve casing and one of said chambers and open communication between said casing and the other chamber in one operation, and to reverse such conditions in the reverse operation.

2. A compressing mechanism for internal combustion motors, comprising a partitioned cylinder, a pair of connected operating pistons, one in each chamber of the cylinder, means for supplying gaseous mixture alternately to said chambers for compression by said pistons respectively, a pair of discharge ports in said cylinder walls respectively, a pair of chambers respectively communicating with said ports and having discharge ports, and valve mechanism operated in said lastnamed chambers in timed relation to the pistons, to open communication between one of the piston chambers and one of said lastnamed discharge ports, and close communication between the other piston chamber and.

the other of said last-named discharge ports, in one operation, and to reverse such conditions in the reverse operation.

3. A compressing mechanism for internal combustion motors, comprising a partitioned cylinder, a pair of connected operating pistons, one in each chamber of the cylinder, means for supplying gaseous mixture alternately to said chambers for compression by said pistons respectively, a pair of discharge ports in said cylinder walls respectively, a pair of chambers having discharge ports, a pair of valves within said chambers for controlling communication between said cylinder ports and the discharge ports of said last-named chambers in timed relation to said pistons, one of the valves opening communication between one of the piston chambers and one of said last-named ports as the other valve closes communication between the other piston chamber and the other of said last-named orts.

4:. A compressing mechanism for internal combustion motors, comprising a pair of alined piston chambers, a pair of connected pistons in said chambers respectively, a valve chamber above and a pair of valve chambers below said piston chambers, the first-named valve chamber having a pair of ports respectively connected to said piston chambers, and said pair of valve chambers being each connected to one of said piston chambers, a valve in the first-named valve casing and a pair of connected valves in said pair of valve casings, means for oscillating the first-named valve, and means for oscillating said pair of valves.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

LANDY D. EPPERSON. 

